Wheelbarrow braking system

ABSTRACT

A new wheelbarrow braking system for facilitating braking of a conventional wheelbarrow while transporting heavy loads thereby retaining the desired position of the wheelbarrow on uneven surfaces and reducing velocity when transporting down hill. The inventive device includes at least one brake disc secured to the inside surface of a support member of a conventional wheel barrow near the tire rim, and an ergonomic handle support member of a conventional wheel barrow near the tire rim, and an ergonomic handle connected to a brake cable secured to the opposite end of the support member and mechanically connected to the brake disc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to wheelbarrow devices and moreparticularly pertains to a new wheelbarrow braking system forfacilitating braking of a conventional wheelbarrow while transportingheavy loads thereby retaining the desired position of said wheelbarrowon uneven surfaces and reducing velocity when transporting down hill.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The use of wheelbarrow devices is known in the prior art. Morespecifically, wheelbarrow devices heretofore devised and utilized areknown to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structuralconfigurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by thecrowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment ofcountless objectives and requirements.

Known prior art wheelbarrow devices include U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,833;U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,520; U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,658; U.S. Pat. No.5,433,464; U.S. Design Patent No. 303,512 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,943.

While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives andrequirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a newwheelbarrow braking system. The inventive device includes a brakingmeans secured to the inside surface of a support member of aconventional wheel barrow near the tire rim, and a hand brake meanssecured to the opposite end of said support member and mechanicallyconnected to said braking means by a brake cable.

In these respects, the wheelbarrow braking system according to thepresent invention substantially departs from the conventional conceptsand designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatusprimarily developed for the purpose of facilitating braking of aconventional wheelbarrow while transporting heavy loads therebyretaining the desired position of said wheelbarrow on uneven surfacesand reducing velocity when transporting down hill.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types ofwheelbarrow devices now present in the prior art, the present inventionprovides a new wheelbarrow braking system construction wherein the samecan be utilized for facilitating braking of a conventional wheelbarrowwhile transporting heavy loads thereby retaining the desired position ofsaid wheelbarrow on uneven surfaces and reducing velocity whentransporting down hill.

The general purpose of the present invention, which will be describedsubsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new wheelbarrow brakingsystem apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of thewheelbarrow devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features thatresult in a new wheelbarrow braking system which is not anticipated,rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior artwheelbarrow devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.

To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a brakingmeans secured to the inside surface of a support member of aconventional wheel barrow near the tire rim, and a hand brake meanssecured to the opposite end of said support member and mechanicallyconnected to said braking means by a brake cable.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the invention in order that the detailed description thereofthat follows may be better understood, and in order that the presentcontribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additionalfeatures of the invention that will be described hereinafter and whichwill form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of theinvention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited in its application to the details of construction and to thearrangements of the components set forth in the following description orillustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of otherembodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways.Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminologyemployed herein are for the purpose of description and should not beregarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception,upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basisfor the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carryingout the several purposes of the present invention. It is important,therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalentconstructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope ofthe present invention.

Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S.Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially thescientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiarwith patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from acursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure ofthe application. The abstract is neither intended to define theinvention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is itintended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a newwheelbarrow braking system apparatus and method which has many of theadvantages of the wheelbarrow devices mentioned heretofore and manynovel features that result in a new wheelbarrow braking system which isnot anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any ofthe prior art wheelbarrow devices, either alone or in any combinationthereof.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a newwheelbarrow braking system which may be easily and efficientlymanufactured and marketed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a newwheelbarrow braking system which is of a durable and reliableconstruction.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a newwheelbarrow braking system which is susceptible of a low cost ofmanufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and whichaccordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consumingpublic, thereby making such wheelbarrow braking system economicallyavailable to the buying public.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a newwheelbarrow braking system which provides in the apparatuses and methodsof the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneouslyovercoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a newwheelbarrow braking system for facilitating braking of a conventionalwheelbarrow while transporting heavy loads thereby retaining the desiredposition of said wheelbarrow on uneven surfaces and reducing velocitywhen transporting down hill.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a newwheelbarrow braking system which includes a braking means secured to theinside surface of a support member of a conventional wheel barrow nearthe tire rim, and a hand brake means secured to the opposite end of saidsupport member and mechanically connected to said braking means by abrake cable.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a newwheelbarrow braking system that avoids unnecessary spills by reducingthe velocity of the conventional wheelbarrow.

Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a newwheelbarrow braking system that decreases the velocity of theconventional wheelbarrow increasing the user's control.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new wheelbarrowbraking system that allows the user to release the load without havingto prevent movement of the wheelbarrow wheel by holding his foot againstthe wheel.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with thevarious features of novelty which characterize the invention, arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those setforth above will become apparent when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description thereof. Such description makes referenceto the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a right side view of a new wheelbarrow braking system securedto a conventional wheelbarrow according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a magnified view of the ergonomic handle.

FIG. 3 is a magnified side view of the braking means secured to theconventional wheelbarrow.

FIG. 4 is an exploded isometric view of the brake disc in relation tothe tire rim of the conventional wheelbarrow.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 3displaying the U-shaped caliper support.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 5disclosing the brake cable slidably positioned within an arcuate nylonbushing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through6 thereof, a new wheelbarrow braking system embodying the principles andconcepts of the present invention and generally designated by thereference numeral 10 will be described.

More specifically, it will be noted that the wheelbarrow braking system10 comprises a braking means 20 secured near the end of a support member14 near a tire rim of a conventional wheelbarrow 12, a hand brake means30 secured to the support member 14 opposite of the braking means 20,and a brake cable 36 secured at one end to the hand brake means 30projecting along the support member 14 attached to said support member14 by a plurality of cable securing straps 38, and the opposite endsecured to the braking means 20 thereby mechanically connecting the handbrake means 30 to the braking means 20 allowing control thereof.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 3 through 5, it can be shown that thebraking means 20 includes a brake disc 22 with a smaller outsidediameter than the tire rim 16. Four disc spacers 23 are secured radiallyto the brake disc 22. Four fasteners 24 project into the brake disc 22then through the corresponding disc spacers 23 then terminating into thetire rim thereby securing the brake disc 22 to the tire rim positioned afinite distance away. The hand brake means 30 includes a U-clamp supportmember 34 secured around the support member 14 opposite of the brakingmeans 20. An ergonomic handle 32 is pivotally secured to the U-clampsupport member 34. A first cable terminating end 39 is secured to theU-clamp support member 34 and aligning the brake cable 36. The brakecable 36 slidably projects through the first cable terminating end 39and engages the ergonomic handle 32 near the pivoting point with theU-clamp support member 34. The braking means 20 includes a U-shapedcaliper support 60 secured to the inside surface of the support member14 where the brake disc 22 rotatably projects into the open end of theU-shaped caliper support 60. The U-shaped caliper support 60 includes asecond aligning passage 66 projecting orthogonally to the longitudinalaxis of the U-shaped caliper support 60 into the open end side adjacentto the support member 14 and a first aligning passage 65 opposite of thesecond aligning passage 66. A second support member 63 has an orthogonalsecond aligning shaft 64 near one end. The second aligning shaft 64slidably projects into the second aligning passage 66. A first supportmember 61 has an orthogonal first aligning shaft 62 near one end. Thefirst aligning shaft 62 slidably projects into the first aligningpassage 65. A compression spring 67 is mesial and engaging the firstsupport member 61 and the second support member 63 positioned at theopposite end of the first aligning shaft 62 and the second aligningshaft 64 separating the support members 61 and 63. A first brake pad 72is secured to the first support member 61 near the end securing thefirst aligning shaft 62 on the opposite side. A second brake pad 74 issecured to the second support member 63 near the end securing the secondaligning shaft 64 on the opposite side. The second support member 63includes a second arcuate nylon bushing 68 near the end opposite of thesecond aligning shaft 64. The first support member 61 includes a firstarcuate nylon bushing 69 near the end opposite of the first aligningshaft 62 and includes a third arcuate nylon bushing 71 near the firstarcuate nylon bushing 69 as best shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. Theend of the brake cable 36 opposite of the braking means 20 projects intoa second cable terminating end 28 secured to the support member 14 nearthe U-shaped caliper support 60. The brake cable 36 further projectsthrough the support member 14, then through the U-shaped caliper support60 opposite of the second aligning shaft 64. The brake cable 36 thenprojects through the second arcuate nylon bushing 68, then through thefirst arcuate nylon bushing 69, then projects parallel to outsidesurface of the first support member 61 to the third arcuate nylonbushing 71. The brake cable 36 then projects orthogonally to the firstsupport member 61 projecting through the second support member 63 andterminating into a keeper 37 on the opposite side of the second supportmember 63.

In use, the user grasps the ergonomic handle 32 and contracts their handthereby pivoting the ergonomic handle 32 which manipulates the brakecable 36. The brake cable 36 slidably engaged to the first supportmember 61 and terminating into the second support member 63 slidablywithdraws through the arcuate nylon bushings 68, 69, and 71. The supportmembers 61 and 63 are forced towards one another whereby eachfrictionally engages the brake disc 22 on opposite sides therebypreventing the rotation of the tire rim 16 of the conventionalwheelbarrow 12. The compression spring 67 is compressed simultaneouslystoring energy to separate said support members 61 and 63 apart. Theuser may then release the ergonomic handle 32 whereby the compressionspring 67 forces the support members 61 and 63 apart.

As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of thepresent invention, the same should be apparent from the abovedescription. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the mannerof usage and operation will be provided.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, toinclude variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and mannerof operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obviousto one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to thoseillustrated in the drawings and described in the specification areintended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of theinvention.

What is claimed as being new and desired to be protected by LettersPatent of the United States is as follows:
 1. A wheelbarrow brakingsystem comprising:a braking means secured near an end of a supportmember near a tire rim of a wheelbarrow: a hand brake means secured tothe support member opposite of the braking means; a brake cable securedat one end to the hand brake means projecting along the support memberattached to said support member by a plurality of cable securing straps,and an opposite end secured to the braking means thereby mechanicallyconnecting the hand brake means to the braking means allowing controlthereof; and wherein the braking means includes:a brake disc with asmaller outside diameter than the tire rim; four disc spacers securedradially to the brake disc; and four fasteners projecting into the brakedisc then through the corresponding disc spacers then terminating intothe tire rim thereby securing the brake disc to the tire rim positioneda finite distance away.
 2. The wheelbarrow braking system of claim 1,wherein the hand brake means includes:a U-clamp support member securedaround the support member opposite of the braking means; an ergonomichandle pivotally secured to the U-clamp support member; a first cableterminating end secured to the U-clamp support member and aligning thebrake cable; and the brake cable slidably projecting through the firstcable terminating end and engaging the ergonomic handle near thepivoting point with the U-clamp support member.
 3. The wheelbarrowbraking system of claim 2, wherein the braking means includes:a U-shapedcaliper support secured to the inside surface of the support memberwhere the brake disc rotatably projects into the open end of theU-shaped caliper support, and where the U-shaped caliper supportincludes a second aligning passage projecting orthogonally to thelongitudinal axis of the U-shaped caliper support into the open end sideadjacent to the support member and a first aligning passage opposite ofthe second aligning passage; a second support member including anorthogonal second aligning shaft near one end, where the second aligningshaft slidably projects into the second aligning passage; a firstsupport member including an orthogonal first aligning shaft near oneend, where the first aligning shaft slidably projects into the firstaligning passage; a compression spring mesial and engaging the firstsupport member and the second support member positioned at the oppositeend of the first aligning shaft and the second aligning shaft; a firstbrake pad secured to the first support member near the end securing thefirst aligning shaft on the opposite side, where the first brake padfrictionally engages the brake disc; and a second brake pad secured tothe second support member near the end securing the second aligningshaft on the opposite side, where the second brake pad frictionallyengages the brake disc on the opposite side of the first brake padsimultaneously.
 4. The wheelbarrow braking system of claim 3, whereinthe second support member includes a second arcuate nylon bushing nearthe end opposite of the second aligning shaft.
 5. The wheelbarrowbraking system of claim 4, wherein the first support member includes afirst arcuate nylon bushing near the end opposite of the first aligningshaft and includes a third arcuate nylon bushing near the first arcuatenylon bushing.
 6. The wheelbarrow braking system of claim 5, wherein theend of the brake cable opposite of the braking means projects into asecond cable terminating end secured to the support member near theU-shaped caliper support, further projecting through the support member,then through the U-shaped caliper support opposite of the secondaligning shaft then through the second arcuate nylon bushing, thenthrough the first arcuate nylon bushing, then projecting parallel tooutside surface of the first support member to the third arcuate nylonbushing, then projecting orthogonally to the first support memberprojecting through the second support member and terminating into akeeper on the opposite side of the second support member.